By: TITO CHAPMAN
The St. Kitts and Nevis National Carnival Committee has cancelled all pageants, the J’ouvert street jam, grand parade and las lap celebrations for this year’s Sugar Mas 49 festivities.
Minister of Culture, Hon. Jonel Made the announcement while delivering an address to the nation via the St. Kitts-Nevis National Carnival Committee (SKNNCC) Facebook page moments ago.
According to Powell, both Cabinet and the committee approved the decision to cancel all traditional Carnival events ahead of Sugar Mas 49 celebrations in December 2020.
Minister Powell said, the decision was made in consideration of the health and safety of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis as the federation grapples with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To accommodate patrons during this challenging time, creative virtual events will be held to highlight and celebrate SKN culture.
Powell said:
Our National Carnival was established with the aim of highlighting our arts, music and folklore and in so doing, uniting our people. As such, the committee along with its partners, intends to create virtual events that are new and creative as well as scale back activities for the end of year celebration.
This new virtual format will allow the St. Kitts-Nevis National Carnival Committee to showcase our unique Carnival product to our citizens and residents and a more diverse and wide-ranging global audience
With the Sugar Mas 49 Calendar of events set to be released shortly, the committee is pledging its fullest support to the national COVID-19 Taskforce, the police and healthcare workers who have established protocols to protect residents and citizens from the Novel Coronavirus said Powell.
